Ask Ryan: Best-Selling NBA Jersey & More

Welcome back for another edition of Ask Ryan, the column where sports and entertainment go together like Chris Henry and ankle monitors. This week’s mailbag is bursting at the seams with queries about the NBA’s top-selling jersey, the NCAA’s fastest-rising star and Matthew Fox’s football career. On to your questions!

wilt the stilt

Hey Ryan, did you hear that a grassroots effort is close to getting Wilt Chamberlain on a commemorative U.S. postage stamp?

Todd, New Brunswick, NJ

You bet, Todd. It’s the perfect way of honoring a man who has already been licked by thousands of his fellow Americans.

Ryan

a horse is a horse

There’s something I’ve always wanted to know. Why is a quadriceps contusion called a Charley horse?

Ben, Calgary, AB

The injury is named in honor of Hall of Fame hurler Charley Radbourn. “Old Hoss,” as he was known to friends and teammates, was a 309-game win winner who once notched 59 victories in a single season for the Providence Grays. However, his most lasting achievement may be his contribution to modern slang. According to legend, Radbourn was rounding the bases after hitting a home run when his leg muscles suddenly seized up, causing him to collapse to the ground like a sack of potatoes. The incident prompted a teammate to shout, "What's the matter with you, Charley Hoss?" The name stuck and leg cramps have been referred to as Charley horses ever since.

Ryan

bowled over

Hey Ryan, did you see that Barack Obama bowled a 37 this week on a promotional stop?

James, Santa Cruz, CA

I did, James. A politician hasn’t spent that much time in the gutters since Bill Clinton.

Ryan

the shirt off his back

Which player has the best-selling uniform in the NBA?

Calvin, Livingston, NJ

That honor belongs to Michael Jordan, whose jersey has been the league’s top-selling item since 1998, when the NBA opened its marquee store in New York City. Rounding out the top five are Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, LeBron James, and Shaquille O’Neal, whose life-size jersey also doubles as a lovely tablecloth and two-person pup tent.

Ryan

the new york nix

Hey Ryan, did you see that the New York Knicks have officially announced the hiring of Donnie Walsh.

Tom, Victorville, CA

Absolutely, Tom. The veteran CEO is expected to be flooded with condolence cards shortly.

Ryan

springing a leak

Whatever happened to Florida quarterback Chris Leak?

Theautry, Dallas, TX

The former SEC signal caller was on the verge of playing in the All American Football League before the fledging organization was forced to pull the plug on its inaugural season. It’s just the latest in a long line of disappointments for Leak, who was cut by the Chicago Bears in 2007 after joining the team as an undrafted invitee. Luckily, he hasn’t let this latest setback discourage him from achieving his dream of returning to the Big Show. “There are so many stories of how guys got to the NFL, guys like Warren Moon, Jeff Garcia and Kurt Warner,” he says. “There are so many stories and that’s everyone’s dream. Eventually I’ll get there. I just have to keep working and do the right thing.”